High Performance Global Challenge 2014

We are excited to announce that our High Performance Global Challenger team has left for Europe today! We are looking forward to hearing about their progress and activities both on and off the court. Follow the blog as we update you on how the team is doing on their trip. The following is their itinerary to give you an idea of what they will be doing.

BIP Itinerary for NCVA U22 and U17 HP Teams

July 7-19, 2014

July 7:              Leave the USA for Milan, Italy

July 8:              Arrive Milan, Italy

Training and sightseeing that afternoon/evening in Milan

July 9:              Sightseeing that morning and afternoon in Milan

Practice in Rome

July 10:            Leave via bus for Lovere, Italy

19:30 U22 vs. Italian Youth National Team

July 11:            Sightseeing in Lovere

U17 vs Pisogne and U22 vs. Italian Youth Team

July 12:            Sightseeing in Lovere

U17 vs Pisogne and U22 vs, Italian Youth Team

July 13:            6:30am leave for Pula, Croatia with U17 Pisogne Team

9:00 pm Opening Ceremony’s for European Global Challenge

July 14-17:      European Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia

July 18:                        Depart of Venice, Italy

All day and evening sightseeing in Venice

July 19:                        Depart Venice, Italy for the USA

GC – Opening Ceremonies

2013 Global Challenge Opening Ceremonies

More Opening Ceremonies photos: https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=f29ca40dafaba93a&id=F29CA40DAFABA93A%21489&authkey=!ACVqDvwwzQfVLWw#cid=F29CA40DAFABA93A&id=F29CA40DAFABA93A%21514&authkey=%21ACVqDvwwzQfVLWw

2013 Global Challenge

2013 Global Challenge Team Photo

Day 2 – Global Challenge

Brittani Gai

St. Marys High School

UH Manoa

Opposite

 

Katrin Gotterba

St. Marys High School

Going to UOP

Libero

 

Day 2

 

Day 2 was another early start, with breakfast no later than 7:30. After eating food that nobody could really be sure what exactly it was, we met the Nfinity team at the usual corner spot. We then walked to the subway station, which was an experience all in itself. After the almost successful pick-pocketing events that took place the day before, we felt we were pros at riding the subway now. Come to find out, we weren’t as great as we thought we were and Michele realized she didn’t have a ticket. The rest of us were too focused on getting ourselves on the subway that we all went to the Vatican without our two coaches…but it’s all good because they found their way there. After getting off the subway and walking a few blocks, we were finally ready to go inside the Vatican City-after waiting in line for a few hours that is.

Outside the Vatican walls were local Romanians who were all probably trying to rip us off. But they were so convincing that a group of us finally agreed to let them take us on a tour since we would be able to skip the line. After waiting outside the tour group’s office for about an hour, our tour guide finally came out-an overweight woman probably in her 60’s who kept control of the group by waving a scarf tied to a stick. Me (Brittani) having been to the Vatican both of the days prior to this, gave our group a much faster tour. I like to keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Because to be completely honest who really cares about every single statue and fresco in the Vatican. Rafael’s paintings and Michelangelo’s sculptures were all very impressive as anyone probably would’ve guessed, but I think we can all agree that the Sistine Chapel was the most impressive thing. After three long hours of our overly expensive tour through the Vatican, we made our way to St. Peter’s Basilica. By that point we were running out of time and still had to eat lunch, so we basically walked in and out in the matter of 5 minutes. We found a little pizza and gelato café and ate there before our walk back. We took a few wrong turns and basically ended up walking around the entire border of the Vatican-and let me tell you it is much bigger than I realized, not to mention most of the walk was uphill and the humidity in Rome is pretty dang bad. But hey, we made it back with 10 minutes to spare.

We then took the subway back to the hotel, where we had about an hour to rest before practice. But I swear that hour felt like 10 minutes. Before we knew it, it was time to get up and walk ourselves down to the lobby to get on the bus and go to practice. Not used to the humidity in Rome or the volleyballs they use over here, practice was definitely a struggle at first. But we finally got the hang of it and were back to normal in no time-at least until the European MEN started playing with us. Let’s just say that bringing extra clothes to change into was the best decision of my life, since we went to dinner before showering. We went to dinner at the same restaurant we went to the night before that…and for lunch. After dinner we walked back to our hotel, took showers, got some gelato, and crashed.

Day 1 – Global Challenge

Rachel Andrews

Buhach Colony High School

Going to Sonoma State

Middle Blocker

 

Katie lopez

Irvington high school

At Holy Names

Outside hitter

 

Day 1 started off with an early plane ride to Toronto, Canada. We arrived at the airport around 5:30 a.m., got our boarding passes, went through security and went to our gate. The flight was round 4 or 5 hours long, but there were movies and TV shows on the plane, so the time went by pretty fast. Once we arrived in Toronto, we had to get our passports and form we filled out checked by some rude Canadian lady in a bullet-proof vest. After that, we had to pass through a huge glass door to get to the rest of the airport. Some people didn’t get their passport stamped, so they went back through the glass doors and got yelled at by the mean lady which was pretty funny. Our next flight that was going to Rome got delayed so we were in that airport for around 4 hours. During those hours we saw a group of super attractive Canadian water polo players, ate a giant burger and fries, and went to a makeup store and tried out a bunch of the products. Finally, we got on our next plane and started heading to Rome. On that plane, we were provided with a blanket, pillow, and a meal. We were also able to watch movies and TV shows on that plane as well, but most of us slept for a lot of the time. The only problem on that flight was a very noisy baby girl that seemed to scream nonstop for most of the flight. By the time we got to the airport in Rome, we were all really tired and felt disgusting from traveling all day.

After we got our bags we went straight to a double decker bus. Which we all thought was the coolest thing. The driver of the bus was a little scary with his driving but I guess it was normal. After the bus ride we dropped off our bags at the Dei Mille Hotel because our rooms weren’t ready yet. So we went start to lunch at a pizzeria, we had red pasta and cheese pizza. After lunch we had about 30 minutes to get to our rooms and change before we went sightseeing. Now for sightseeing we had to take a subway, which was over crowed and dirty. To get on the subway you have to push your way on and be aggressive. Our first stop on our sightseeing adventure was the colisseo, we didn’t take the tour of the inside but we took picture of the outside and we took pictures with people dressed as roman soldiers. The second stop was in the oldest part of Roma and took pictures. The third stop was the square where there was a fountain and a lot of different types of art work it was beautiful. For the fourth stop we went to the Trevi Fountain we throw coins with our left hand over our right shoulder. For the last stop we went to the Spanish steps we walked around and looked at the different shops. As soon as we got back to the steps we heard thunder and it started to rain. So we took the subway back and went to dinner. Afterwards we went to our rooms and crashed.

Culture exchange

Ciao Bella,
We are currently driving through the Italian country side each of us stareing outside the window gazing at the beautiful farmland which is surprisingly reminiscent to me of the central valley. After an incredible week of volleyball, hustling around making new friends, enjoying new foreign foods, getting lost in ancient cities, these bus rides become exactly what our tired bodies need. Rest. They provide time to reflect, and we have a lot to reflect upon considering the past several days.

Probably the one the coolest aspects of the tournament was the fact that the teams were all booked in the same hotel, which meant that opponents shared meals together and roomed next door to each other. This set up cultivated an environment which relationships could quickly develop. It was great, because communication between teams was inescapable, it was just unclear how clear the communication would be. The players had to interact outside the matches. Of course, everyone struggle with the language barrier, but when verbal communication failed animated body language was greatly enhanced to converse with one another. Whenever I wanted to ask a non-English speaker if they won, I would simply signal a thumbs up and thumbs down. I would typically receive an answer by a nod or a shake of the head followed by the number of set that we’re played in the game.

Though the tournament ended last night with closing ceremony, it seemed like it just began. The global challenge volleyball tournament began with a diversity of nationalities, but ended with a unified body of friends due to the common language of volleyball shared by all the athletes.

What we received could not have transpired through a typical tourist trip involving traveling to various historic landmarks.volleyball became the medium through which American teenage girls shared life with European teen age girls; which some had never spoke with an American before! Blocks, kills, and digs were shared amongst opponents during the match, while laughs, passions, and cultures were being exchanged between new friends throughout the week.

Ciao, Todd

Venezia is how it is spelled in Italy

When in Italy do as they do, use the bidai, just kidding wouldn’t know how anyway.

Finishing the trip with an enchanting evening in Venezia (Venice for you non travelers)? Started with a short bus ride from our hotel then instructions on where to meet for the ride home, then the shopping could begin as we work our way to San Marco Square to meet up with the other teams for a group picture.

We were there but the group was not in the same spot, so we got a team photo.

At this time I wanted to thank all of the adults (parents) as they were all good sports ( when I got them lost, I mean confused) after the movie and for the whole trip in general.

And yes it was tough at times but they were real troopers all the way through.

We are meeting at 10:30pm to catch the bus back to the hotel as the team has a 6:50am flight home.

Final day

Well it is hard to believe that this is over today, we played the local team OK Pula.

We ended the tournament in a battle for 3rd place we started a little slow and they jumped out in front and never looked back in the first game. The second game we started better and then their serving killed us, they as a team have a crazy good jump float serve that moves all over the place and some times it just dies just when you are ready to move back.

We lost in 2 to place 4th in the Istra division, this is our highest finish since the tournament moved to Pula.

Jade Fachin is our selection for the all tournament team.

The Russian Jr National team plays the Slovenian Jr National team for the championship

After the last match is the awards ceremonies where all of the teams are recognized for how they did in the event.

Below is our team being honored for 4th place in the Istra division

And here is a couple of shots of our All Tournament player “Jade Fachin” good job Jade!!!!

Day three

Short and sweeeeet again we won in the morning in a tough match against istra a local team with our friend Goron coaching against us.

Then in the afternoon match we lost a tough one against the Czech Youth National team which puts us playing in the Istra division 3/4 place match against OK Pula. We have played them already and lost but that was yesterday and this time watch out Pula.

Kerri

Since the beginning of the tournament I was never discouraged by these huge European players. From what I’ve learned while playing here internationally is that you can’t be afraid in this game you have to control it and make it your game.

My team and i have faced obstacles and worked our way through them. In my own words this team is a miracle preformed by our two great coaches and us 9 girls. Having 2 older players to help us learn as well as playing internationally has definitely prepared us for the next level. As this tournament progresses, the team is getting better and better. We have grasped the game mentally and physically, we have come together and fought, struggled, and won as a team. I am extremely proud to play on this team, learn from this team, and be on this team.

— Kerri Lemus-Hernandez #1